Evil kidnappers forced family to pay £1.6m to free girl in sick 900-day ordeal… only to reveal they’d killed her 6hrs in

HEADING retired connected her regular greeting run, successful the quiescent tree-lined suburb of her household home, pupil Anabel Segura had nary consciousness that she was successful danger.

But 2 men were lying successful hold successful the affluent country of La Moraleja, Madrid, Spain, and watching her each move. 

Minutes later, the sinister brace snatched the 22-year-old successful wide daylight, holding her astatine knifepoint and bundling her into a achromatic van.

It was the opening of 1 of Spain’s most horrifying and drawn-out kidnapping cases, gripping the federation for years to come. 

The probe would pb constabulary connected a hopeless hunt. The truth, erstwhile it came, was worse than anyone imagined.

Now, implicit 30 years on, the afloat recordings from the kidnappers are being aired connected a caller Netflix documentary series, 900 Days Without Anabel.

Across 3 episodes, the communicative of Anabel’s abduction is told done cardinal constabulary who worked her case, alongside members of her assemblage and journalists. 

Agonizing wait

At the spot wherever Anabel was taken, connected April 12th 1993, constabulary recovered lone a fewer scattered belongings near down successful the struggle.

“Where the van had been parked, a Walkman, a achromatic T-shirt, and a young woman’s sweater were found,” Juan J.B., a cardinal subordinate of the constabulary investigation, tells documentary-makers.

The lone eyewitness was a schoolhouse gardener. But without a licence sheet oregon coagulated leads, the lawsuit began arsenic a dormant end.

Police scoured thousands of achromatic van registrations and kept a 24-hour ticker connected the Segura household home, hoping for a breakthrough.

For the family, the hold was agonizing.

“It became an obsession for america to find Anabel, wherever she was,” says Jaime Barrado, caput of the nationalist police’s kidnapping group. “Finding idiosyncratic with the accusation astatine manus was harder than uncovering a needle successful a haystack. It was a nightmare the household were going through.”

A Chilling Call

Two days aft Anabel’s disappearance, her kidnappers yet made contact.

Her father, José Segura, a affluent businessman, had enlisted the assistance of his friend, elder lawyer Rafael Escuredo, to enactment arsenic a mediator. Police tapped the family’s phone, listening successful connected each word.

Speaking to Rafael, a acold dependable warned: “She is good for now. She’s not lacking anything. Her information is up to you.”

The request was staggering -150 cardinal pesetas, the equivalent of astir £1.6million. 

The kidnappers instructed Rafael to enactment the currency successful a gym container and await further instructions.

“If you fail, oregon we find retired you progressive the police, your girl volition suffer,” the caller threatened.

For José, adjacent arsenic a affluent man, the sum was an immense load to propulsion unneurotic but helium didn’t hesitate.

Police bungle

Eight days aft the abduction, Rafael made the drop-off nether a motorway bridge. The container was stuffed with the afloat ransom.

Police were stationed astir the country successful camouflaged cars. But a chopper flying overhead alerted the kidnappers that they were being watched.

“They didn’t amusement up due to the fact that of the police,” says Barrado. “No 1 wanted to accidental it, but it was clear. We didn’t cognize if Anabel was OK. It was devastating.”

Two weeks later, the kidnappers called again, furious.

“We don’t privation a repetition of what happened 2 weeks ago, you understand? Police, helicopters—you won’t person different chance,” they said.

A 2nd ransom effort was arranged. This time, the container of wealth was near by the broadside of a road. Yet again, the kidnappers failed to cod it.

“It was changeless anxiousness and unease,” said dada José. “Above all, the feeling of helplessness. There was thing we could bash but wait, time and nighttime for the telephone to ring."

Plea to 'Mum and Dad'

In June 1993, 71 days aft Anabel’s abduction, her parents were fixed a glimmer of anticipation erstwhile the kidnappers sent a cassette portion successful the post.

On it was a trembling voice: “Hi Mum and Dad, it’s June 22nd. I conscionable privation to archer you I’m OK, each things considered. They’re not treating maine badly, but I truly privation to beryllium location with you, and I miss you each a lot.”

The portion besides carried a chilling threat: “If each our demands aren’t met successful the transportation of the ransom, 30 days aft receiving this tape, we volition execute her. I repeat, if the demands aren’t met she volition beryllium executed.”

The household clung to the anticipation that Anabel was inactive alive. But her father, José, wasn’t convinced.

“After listening to the recording, José, without letting his wife, who was crying astatine the time, speak, instantly said: ‘That’s not Anabel,’” recalls Barrado.

The hunt goes cold

The kidnappers went silent. Months passed without immoderate news.

By September, implicit 150 days aft Anabel’s disappearance, protests had erupted connected the streets. Thousands marched, demanding justness for Anabel.

“Most radical didn’t spot it arsenic conscionable different kidnapping,” said Juan Carlos Cuesta, lawman main of the nationalist constabulary kidnapping squad. “They saw it arsenic their ain household had been taken.”

Desperate for a lead, constabulary visited each situation successful Spain, playing the recordings to spot if anyone recognized the voice. They appealed to the nationalist for help.

By November 1993, constabulary released the kidnapper’s dependable to the media.

They received implicit 30,000 calls. From those, 1,600 were deemed credible.

But by April 1995, the 2nd day of her kidnapping, determination were nary arrests;

In a TV plea, a tearful Jose said: "I americium consenting to bash immoderate it takes to bring Anabel backmost to america and my household feels the aforesaid way.

"Whether wrong the law, oregon if request beryllium extracurricular the law. All we privation is to person Anabel back."

The Voice of Evil

A last breakthrough came erstwhile of the callers - a nonmigratory successful Toledo - told the police: "That is Candi's voice, the plumber of my town".

The accusation led them to plumber Cándido 'Candi' Ortiz and, done their investigations his puerility person Emilio Monas Guadix, a 35-year-old transportation operator with a past of violence.

Police discovered Guadix had worked with his member Alfonso, who had fallen retired with him. They persuaded Alfonso to talk to Emilio’s wife, Felisa García.

It was Felisa who delivered the devastating truth.

“She admitted she had pretended to beryllium Anabel successful the proof-of-life tape,” recalled Cuesta. “Then she told us, ‘They killed Anabel. Anabel is dead.’”

Felisa besides implicated her hubby and his accomplice Ortiz successful the murder.

A Chilling Confession

On September 19, 1995 - 899 days aft Anabel disappeared - constabulary arrested Emilio and Cándido successful a well-coordinated sting operation.

Cándido broke down immediately. “I knew this was going to happen,” helium said. “Believe maine oregon not, I was waiting for you to drawback me. I couldn’t unrecorded with it anymore. We killed her. We buried her successful a spot nearby, but you’ll ne'er find her.”

A time later, Emilio led investigators to Anabel’s shallow sedate astatine an abandoned ceramic mill successful Toledo, astir 70km southbound of Madrid, wherever they had taken her aft her abduction.

She had been killed conscionable six and a fractional hours aboriginal aft attempting to flight her captures. The men confessed they had nary unafraid spot to clasp her and panicked, strangling her earlier burying her nearby.

Just ' a deal'

At their trial, Emilio showed nary remorse, chillingly referring to the kidnapping arsenic “a deal.”

Both men were sentenced to 43.5 years successful prison. Felisa, who impersonated Anabel, besides faced further charges.

The federation mourned Anabel’s death. Protests and nationalist outrage continued for months.

In her memory, a taste halfway was established successful Alcobendas, Anabel’s neighbourhood successful Madrid. The Centro Cultural Anabel Segura inactive stands today, a spot for anticipation and healing successful her honor.

But the symptom of her nonaccomplishment remains.

"She was a fantastic miss and honestly, due to the fact that of the constabulary probe I had to bash thing I ne'er would person wanted to do," said Jose, aft her assemblage was found.

"But I'm gladsome I did. I work her diary and she was adjacent amended than I thought she was."